Snapshots of an Unintended Life
by Miss Higher Power
Summary: Tony and Ziva deal with a life they never planned on living. A story in 10 parts.
1. The False Start

Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS, Tony would be feeding me grapes while I laid on the beach. As there is no Tony and no grapes and I'm sitting in my kitchen in northern Canada, I can only conclude that I do NOT own NCIS. More's the pity.

* * *

It's been a busy day.

She attended a funeral, was terminated from her position at NCIS, cleared out her desk, and planned a dinner party, all before lunch. She got engaged, purchased rings, obtained a marriage license, got married, and cooked a meal for seven people, all before dinner.

It's been a busy day.

* * *

He's pretty sure that Abby was only half-serious when she suggested that someone should marry Ziva. He's sure that he imagined the looks everyone gave him when she said it. But he's also sure that Ziva wouldn't look at anyone as she stated that it was a ridiculous idea.

Maybe that's why he's standing in her kitchen a married man.

* * *

They make the announcement over drinks. They've been seeing each other for two years. They got married this afternoon. Tony will be tendering his resignation in the morning, and he'll be actively seeking a new position. He jokingly adds that it'll be nice to be a "real" cop again. Ziva will be taking a leave of absence from Mossad. She mentions that taking care of Tony will be a full time job.

If they didn't know Tony and Ziva as well as they do, nothing would seem out of place, but it does. Nobody mentions that the timing is off, that last year he was with someone else. Nobody mentions that the pieces just don't fit.

They all hope that one day they will understand the false start.


	2. Playing House

Disclaimer: I don't own it. But if someone would like to buy me Tony and Ziva, I wouldn't say no. I'm not greedy, I don't want all the characters, just those two.

Author's Note: This may seem OOC, which I really struggled with. The only thing I can say is that I've kidnapped them for my own purposes so they'll just have to stay like this until someone else can do a better job.

* * *

**Playing House**

He speaks with her on the first Saturday of every month. She always places the call. It allows her a measure of control. However, in the past three years, the balance of power has been changing, a fact he is reluctant to admit.

When the truth about Ari had come to light, he had known that Ziva would realize the truth about her own life. His own failure, and something that he didn't recognize at the time, led him to send Ziva to Washington.

He had Officer Bashan keep her under surveillance, and even things she did not tell him, he knew within 24 hours. What she did not reveal, but was evident in every piece of information that came his way, was that she was happy.

Her happiness had never been important to him. His children had been born to live a life of purpose. Happiness did not factor into that. But one day, after years of being a father, he realized that of the three children God had entrusted to his care, only one remained. One very unhappy girl who had fled to the other side of the world to escape him. And so he allowed her to stay longer than the six months he had intended.

When he had become aware of Ziva's relationship with Anthony DiNozzo, he had not known what to do. Ziva's refusal to tell Officer Bashan about the relationship made him suspicious, but he did nothing. The relationship seemed to fade away.

Now two years later, out of the blue, he has been informed by someone else that not only has NCIS terminated his daughter's position, but that his daughter has gotten married. It insults him on two levels. Ziva feels that she cannot trust him. He would have fought for her. He could have had the decision reversed or, at the very least, found a way for her to stay in America. It hurts him more that she did not want him at her wedding.

He has only one option left.

* * *

Tony has a fry halfway to his mouth when the phone rings. The decision to stuff the fry into his mouth is instantaneous.

"U'll affa get at." He tells Ziva around a mouthful of food. "My mouf if full."

"Yet you still insist on speaking." She throws at him as she goes to find the phone. "Hello?"

Her greeting is followed by a burst of Hebrew and a door shutting. He figures it's one of her friends.

The last six weeks have been filled with upheaval. On the first day of their marriage, they had decided that neither of their apartments were designed for two people and all of their stuff. So for the time being they are living in Ziva's apartment. Between the two of them and Abby, they'd managed to pack up his apartment and move everything into Ziva's. There are boxes everywhere, and he swears that if he has to hear Ziva laugh at him because he's stubbed his toe again, he's going to go postal. Apartment hunting is on their list of things to do.

His apartment is now being sublet to some kid that McGee's sister knows. The kid's name is Warner Trent, and his major is Psychiatry. With those two facts in mind, Tony's not terribly worried that his place is going to get ruined.

If he had planned what he's now calling the Vance Conspiracy, he couldn't have timed it better. The day he tendered his resignation, which Vance didn't seem too torn up about, he submitted his resume to every law enforcement agency in the Washington, Maryland, and Virginia areas. Four interviews and three job offers later, Tony is the newest lead homicide detective at Metro PD. Ziva was a little jealous, but he took her to the firing range and that had done a lot to improve her mood.

They'd also had a visit from Immigration. They'd received an anonymous tip, really not so anonymous if you thought about it, that Tony and Ziva had married under false pretenses. The visit had ended with the interviewer telling them that she wished she met with more couple like them: truly in love, not trying to scam the American government. The key to pulling the wool over her eyes had been to act normal and occasionally throw in a lingering glance or some extended contact, not to over do it. They'd done married before; this was a piece of cake.

But the worst of it had been the phone calls. Ziva had sent out a mass email announcing their marriage, and Tony had done the same. Since then they had been inundated with phone calls from her friends (most of whom spoke Hebrew so he couldn't eavesdrop), his friends (who thought it was a joke), and at least two calls a day from Abby who seemed to want a daily commentary on married life.

He had finished cleaning up the kitchen and was watching Sports Center when Ziva came out of her bedroom. She placed the phone onto the base and calmly walked into the kitchen. He could hear her pressing buttons on the microwave to warm her food.

When she finally came into the living room, he let her get settled before starting their usual game.

"Friend from college, hurt that she wasn't invited to the wedding." He guessed.

"That was my father. He wishes to give us a wedding present." She informed him.

"Nice. I was wondering when we'd start getting those." Remembering several unpleasant moments when he'd mentioned her father, he wisely decided to leave that alone.

"He would like to buy us a house." Ziva was now what Tony would describe as eerily calm.

"A wh…what?" Tony spluttered.

"A house. Preferably one with several bedrooms, a large backyard, and that is near both a park and a decent school. He has arranged for a realtor to meet with us on Saturday."

"Wh…why?"

"Apparently it is easier to move before the children arrive."

"But we're not…what I mean is…we don't…" Tony started.

"I know that!" She shot him such a look of disdain that Tony wished he could melt into the couch. "But my father does not know that, and if we wish to continue this marriage we will have to go along with this."

"Alright, as long as there are no kids." He said as he turned back to the TV.

"Having children involves sex. And I am definitely not having sex with _you_!" She told him as she moved into the kitchen.

"Hey!" When he didn't hear a response, he continued. "Like you haven't thought about it!"

* * *

Tony and Ziva's realtor, Jane Moscovitz, seemed to have been selected for two reasons: her office specialized in finding residences for an elite clientele and she was Jewish. If there was one thing Ziva hated about being Jewish in America, it was the fact that other Jews insisted on calling her a member of the tribe, which Jane did at their first meeting. No one had been part of a tribe for centuries, why did they insist on being labeled as such?

Jane had selected a wide selection of houses to show Tony and Ziva. Modern, Colonial, and Georgian, they viewed a total of 12 houses the first day. At the end of the day, Jane requested that they talk it over, provide her with feedback, and she would put together another list of houses to view the following week.

"You've got to appreciate the irony of this." Tony remarked after they were seated at their table.

"What irony?" she asked as perused the menu.

"Ziva, the first place we looked at was 17 million, and we're eating dinner at Denny's."

"You like eating breakfast for dinner, and I am not in the mood to make you bacon."

"Seriously, we can't live in any of those houses. We didn't look at one place that was worth less than 900,000. When you said a house, I thought you meant like Gibbs's place. Just how much is your dad worth?" Ziva waited for their orders to be taken before answering.

"My mother was quite wealthy when she passed. Between her estate and my father's own money, I believe he is worth somewhere in the vicinity of 100 million." At this piece of information, Tony swallowed a piece of ice and coughed slightly. Once he had finished, Ziva continued. "He is buying us a house as a display of wealth to his acquaintances. If you would rather live in a house like Gibbs, I will inform Jane tomorrow."

"Hold on. What did you think of the houses we looked at?"

"They were all adequate."

"Adequate?"

"It is a place to live for the next 18 months." Ziva whispered as she leaned across the table.

Tony also leaned across the table and lowered his voice. "That's how long we figure with is will take, it could take Gibbs longer. And where are you going to live when this is over? I still have my apartment; Mossad is selling yours. You may have to live in this house for a while." Tony leaned back as their food arrived, and they spent the next few minutes eating.

"What do you like about your apartment?" Tony asked, trying a different approach. Ziva swallowed her mouthful before answering.

"It has a large kitchen and dining area, and I find its location central to my needs."

"Okay, so we want a midsized, average priced, family home, near a park, a good school, and amenities. It needs to have at least three bedrooms, a big backyard, a large kitchen and dining area, a two-car garage, and room for the mother of all DVD collections. What else?"

Ziva considered for a moment before answering. "When I was young, my mother took us to visit my grandparents in the south of France. They had a room lined with bookshelves and a wood-burning fireplace…I enjoyed spending time in that room." As she said this, she remained focused on her food, not looking at Tony.

This was the first major piece of information Ziva had shared with Tony since the day they met. He knew Ziva had only told him about Tali because she believed that their acquaintance would be brief. Tony recognized this action on Ziva's part as a great gesture of trust.

"Are we talking My Fair Lady or Beauty and the Beast?"

"What?" She glanced up at him sharply, fearing that he had not recognized her sharing for what it was.

"The library, did it look like the professor's study in My Fair Lady or the library in Beauty and the Beast?" Ziva's look quickly changed to one of exasperation.

"Arggh! Must everything be about movies with you?"

"It's part of my charm. Answer the question."

"It was most like My Fair Lady, but light like Beauty and the Beast."

"See that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Do not patronize me." As Ziva said this, she began menacingly toying with a fork. Tony gulped and continued his list.

"Wood-burning fireplace, built-in bookshelves or the potential to add them. You know if we have a library, McBibliophile will be at our place all the time."

They spent the next few hours discussing the house and laughing and joking. When the restaurant finally closed, they left the restaurant hand in hand.

* * *

It took them a week to convince both Jane and Ziva's father of their desire to live in a more modest house in a less ostentatious area. It took another two weeks for Jane to locate the perfect house, but the minute they stepped into the house, they knew it was the one for them.

When they finally take possession of the house, it seems unreal. She'd gone along with the house hunt to keep her father from learning the truth about her marriage, but Tony had made her truly take part. To Ziva a house was place to sleep, it was the people inside that made it a home. She feels that she could be happy here. She can see a future in this house, with him. She only wishes they weren't just playing house.

* * *

Please review!


	3. The Missus

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

* * *

She loves this time of year. The air is starting to turn crisp. The days are still warm, but the mornings and the evenings have a crispness to them. She loves the colours of the leaves, both the ones on the trees and those that litter the ground. They don't have this in Israel.

Ziva rounds a corner on her route and checks her watch. If she continues at her current pace, she will arrive at the house just as Tony is getting into the shower. She will have enough time to make him French toast before he leaves for work.

When she enters the house 10 minutes later, she can hear the water running. She places her keys on the table in the hall, toes off her shoes, and drapes her sweatshirt over the banister, before moving into the kitchen.

She loves her kitchen, and it is her kitchen. She's developed a certain amount of guilt over their current situation, and to make up for it, she spends a lot of time cooking. Tony had casually mentioned roast beef one day the week before. The next day he had come home to a full roast beef dinner, including Yorkshire pudding, which he had never had before. Ziva felt that the least she could do for the man who married her was keep him well fed.

She grinned to herself when she heard him reach the landing and groan.

"You're trying to fatten me up, aren't you? Am I being prepared for some sort of ritual slaughter?" He asked her as he leaned against the doorway to the kitchen.

"Yes. Once you have reached the desired weight, I will be sacrificing you to the ninja gods. Is that a problem?"

"Nope. Not as long as you're cooking. I will go a fat and happy man." He told her as she placed the French toast on the table. The room was filled with near silence as they began to eat.

Tony knew that without her job, Ziva had turned to more domestic pursuits to fill her time. His wife was a desperate housewife. She cleaned like Bree, had Lynette's attitude, and was hot like Gabrielle.

The first time he had come home to find his laundry done and his shirts ironed he was embarrassed. He definitely did not expect her to do his laundry. He'd locked his door, only for her to pick the lock. After that she'd been in a remarkably good mood, so he randomly added extra layers of security between his door and his laundry. He suspected this wasn't normal newlywed behaviour.

"You have plans for today?" He asked her between bites.

"Housework this morning. I might go to the city this afternoon. I need to return some books to the library, and I may punch the firing range."

"Hit. Why don't you come by the precinct? We can grab lunch; you can meet the guys."

"Philly cheese steak?" she asked hopefully. He nodded.

"Only the best for my wife. 12:30?"

"Sounds good." Ziva checked her watch and took Tony's plate as a forkful of food made its way to his mouth. "Get out of my kitchen. You are going to be late."

"Yes, ma'am." Tony jumped at the sound of plates being slammed on the counter. "I didn't…I'm just gonna…go!"

* * *

His team was finishing up the paperwork on last week's case when his phone rang.

"DiNozzo." He said as he answered his phone and continued entering information on the form.

"Your missus is here." Tony checked his watch. It read 12:15.

"Send her on back, Frank." Tony hung up the phone and started to put his work away.

"Your missus? How noir." Ziva said as she entered his team's area.

"With getaway sticks like yours, Dollface, it could only be noir." Tony adopted a thick private eye detective as he came around his desk.

"You're getting better. Someday I may recognize the accent." She told him as she gave him a quick kiss.

"Guys, this is my wife, Ziva. Ziva, these are the guys, Pete Stolp, Owen Cooper, and the rookie, Matt Raynesford." Ziva shook everyone's hands.

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." Raynesford said when she shook his hand. Tony waited for Ziva to snap, but was surprised when she merely laughed.

"He is cute, like a baby McGee." She said to Tony before turning back to Raynesford. "I like you. You remind me of a friend, so I will let the fact that you called me ma'am slip."

She patted his cheek, while the others chuckled, and Tony explained. "She really doesn't like being called ma'am. She's been known to pull her gun over it."

"He first called me a dirtbag and made me handcuff myself to you. He did not even know how to use the talkie walkie."

"You're not from around here, are ya? How'd ya get a babe like her to marry ya, DiNozzo?" Cooper asked.

"I am from Israel. And he tricked me. He told me he was pregnant."

"Funny. You ready to go?" Tony asked her.

"Yes. I can hear the Philly cheese steak calling my name. It was nice to meet you."

"Take your lunch. We'll finish up later." Tony told his team as Ziva took his hand.

* * *

Once they had their food, the settled at an outdoor table.

"I heard from Gibbs this morning." He told her.

"Does he have anything?" She asked.

"Nothing concrete, just his gut."

"So he is no further along than before." Ziva replied in a voice that he knew was dejected.

"It's Gibbs. He's gonna fix this." He placed his hand over hers to reassure her.

"I know. But that bastard is making life hell for everyone in the meantime. Abby is being forced to wear her Career Girl Barbie outfit. McGee has to report to Vance everyday. And I am cooking."

"I miss them, too." He told her. "But Gibbs will fix this, and we'll go back to being coworkers."

They continued to discuss Vance and what he could possibly be up to. When lunch was over, Tony walked Ziva to her car. As he walked back to the precinct, he couldn't help but think about how his life had changed. And he wasn't entirely sure he wanted things to change back. He liked going home to someone every night. When this was over, he'd miss the missus.


	4. The First Big Fight

Fourteen words.

That was all it took for him to ruin his marriage. Granted his marriage was a sham, but that just showed the true depths of his talent.

Undercover mission? Botched by his playboy heart. Protection detail? Botched by his vapid personality. Or his Magnum obsession. That one was a toss-up. Fake marriage to prevent his best friend from being deported because he'd botched the protection detail? Botched by his big, fat trap.

"Because they would have shipped your ass back to Israel by now, wouldn't they?"

This time she didn't have to tell him that he'd crossed the line. He knew. Her eyes had shifted, and her face had taken on the look she got just after people accused her of not having feelings. It would start to crumple, like she wanted to cry, for less than half a second, before becoming like steel. And then she had turned around and walked out the door.

That had been last night at 9:30. At midnight, Abby had called to say that Ziva was staying the night at hers.

The worry over where she is has gone, but he still stays awake for hours. He has an ache in his chest that he thinks might have something to do with his heart.

* * *

She was a needler.

Aside from having breasts and liking shoes, it was her most female quality.

Usually the fact that she needled didn't bother her. Except that when she needled, she tended to get hurt. She pushed too hard. She pushed until the subject of her inquiry snapped. Effective interrogation technique, not so good for her personal relationships.

They bickered all the time. They'd bickered as partners over who got to drive, who would handle interviews, and who took which reports. As a married couple, they bickered over taking out the garbage, the location of items in the dishwasher, and leaving towels on the floor.

She couldn't even remember how it started. Very often she couldn't remember how their fights started. Given her Mossad training, she found this disconcerting.

She remembered pushing him; trying to get past that wall he always put up whenever she got too close. And then she'd said it.

"I do not know why I put up with you. Why did I think it was a good idea to marry you?"

His face did that thing where it looks like he might just tell you everything, before it hardens and turns mean. He'd followed that look with a nasty comment about shipping her back to Israel. It was cruel, and it made her feel like an object.

So she'd turned on her heel and left. She'd ended up at Abby's.

She couldn't tell if she'd left because he'd hurt her or because she'd hurt him. She's awake half the night. She has an ache in her chest that she thinks might have something to do with her heart.

* * *

The irrational, insane part of him wants to call in sick to work, and then go to Abby's and make her come home. The rational, sane part of him knows that he should leave her alone. She'll come home on her own.

He reluctantly goes to work, but spends the entire day worried that she'll go to the house while he's at work. The ache in his chest continues.

* * *

The irrational, insane part of her thought that maybe he would try to make her come home. The rational, sane part of her knows that she should just go home and face him like a grown-up.

She goes home, but spends the entire day worried that he won't come home. The ache in her chest continues.

* * *

When he arrives home, he's relieved to see her car parked in its usual place in the garage.

As she pulls dinner out of the oven she hears his car pull into the garage, and she's filled with a huge sense of relief.

"I'm sorry. I was a jerk." He tells her seriously as he enters the kitchen.

"Yes, you were." She agrees. She's facing the stove, so he can't see her face as she continues. "But I deserved it. I was being a bitch." She turns to face him. "You have done this incredible thing for me, and I threw it back in your face. I am so sorry."

"And I know how you feel about it. I hate that I hurt you when that's the last thing I want to do." He steps towards her and catches her off guard as he pulls her into a hug.

They've never hugged before. They have been physically close, and they have comforted each other, but never in this way. Ziva resists for a moment, before allowing the warmth of his body to pull her in.

As she relaxes into the hug, she can feel Tony, solid and strong around her. She feels safe and protected, a feeling she has never wanted or needed from a man. From Tony, it is a welcome feeling.

"I will forgive you, if you will forgive me." She tells him.

"Forgiven and forgotten." He tells her.

He can feel Ziva, small and soft in his arms. He's reluctant to let her go. When he does release her slightly, she looks up at him with her big, brown eyes and another impulse seizes him.

Lips meet and hands roam, and before either Tony or Ziva can form a coherent thought, they've made their way upstairs.

* * *

She had imagined sex with Tony. Not a lot, but it had been impossible not to after their undercover mission. She had imagined it would be quick and passionate.

He had imagined sex with Ziva. A lot. It was impossible not to when he was…well, him and when she looked like…well, her. He had imagined it a million different ways.

Neither of them had imagined what it was. Long and slow, full of need and want, it could only be considered making love, even if neither of them would admit it.

* * *

Ziva woke slowly, a feeling of contentment filling her entire being. She registered the feeling of Tony's chest pressed against her back, their tangled legs, and the feeling of his fingers threaded with hers.

He'd been waiting for her to wake up. When he felt her stir beside him, he tightened his hold on her hand and pulled her closer to him. He softly kissed his way across her shoulder and up her neck before whispering in her ear, "Good morning, Beautiful."

Ziva let go of his hand to roll over to face him. Tony's lips continued their journey on her other shoulder.

"Last night was…" he whispered before kissing her lips.

"Amazing." She finished.

"Fantastic." He continued.

"I was hoping for a repeat," she told him, sliding her hand across his chest.

"That can be arranged," he told her as he pulled the comforter over their heads.

* * *

They fought. They made up. It was their way. But they'd never forget their first big fight.

* * *

A/N: This chapter is the work of my entire chaotic summer. I apologize for the delay, but I moved over the summer and life has been crazy. Please review!


	5. The Real Start

As October came to a close, and the fall weather turned colder, the former NCIS team began to plan for the holiday season

As October came to a close, and the fall weather turned colder, the former NCIS team began to plan for the holiday season. Tony and Ziva had insisted that Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy spend Thanksgiving with them. Ducky, in turn, insisted that they spend Christmas day with him and his mother, while Abby was adamant that New Years Eve be celebrated at her apartment.

In years past, holidays had been a welcome break from co-workers. But this year, with the team separated these were rare opportunities to see each other. Tony usually spent his holidays on vacation, or with frozen dinners and his movie collection. Occasionally a buddy's wife would take pity on him and invite him over for a home-cooked meal. Since arriving in America, Ziva had always been invited to Thanksgiving dinner with the Gellar's from the Jewish Community Centre. In fact, they invited her to many family gatherings. She had the sneaking suspicion that Mrs. Geller was trying to marry her off to her son, Ephram. She had not heard from Mrs. Geller since she announced her marriage to Tony.

Thanksgiving dinner had been an excellent event. Ziva's cooking, which was always fantastic, had been better than usual. Even Ducky could recall nothing from his past that had tasted quite so good. In fact, aside from a brief period where Tony and Gibbs had disappeared, it was the best holiday Ziva had ever had.

In the days following Thanksgiving, Tony and Ziva remained in their house watching movies and eating leftovers. It was during this time that Ziva broached the subject of Christmas. They were snuggled on the couch, under a huge blanket that Aunt Nettie had sent them as a wedding gift.

"Do you have any Christmas traditions?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah. Beer and Die Hard." He responded. Ziva sat up slightly to look at him.

"I am being serious. I would like Christmas to be special."

"Ziva, you're Jewish." He reminded her as he fingered her Star of David.

"But you are not, and I would like us to have a nice holiday."

"Seriously, Christmas is not a big deal for me. We can have a nice holiday without getting caught up in the season. We'll go to Ducky's. I'll even buy you a present, Sweetcheeks."

"Do not call me that." She warned him as she moved to the end of the couch, stretching her feet into his lap. "And it is not about presents."

"Why is this so important to you?"

"It has been a long time since I have been part of a true family holiday. Christmas can just be about our family. I want to make it special." Tony seemed torn before reluctantly agreeing.

"Okay, we'll do Christmas."

"Good." Ziva smiled widely. "Now, I am very interested in this Santa Claus that Abby speaks of."

"So it is about presents." He grinned at her.

"Yes." Tony pulled her legs, bringing her torso into his lap. She leant up to kiss him. "Let's talk about Christmas trees."

* * *

Tony spent the first week of December trying to avoid being pulled into the Christmas hype. By the second week of December, he had succumbed to Ziva's Christmas spirit. And for a Jewish girl, she had a lot of Christmas spirit.

"What do they have to say about this down at the Centre?" Tony asked one day after work. He'd been greeted at the door by the sounds of Barry Manilow singing Christmas carols and the smell of gingerbread cookies.

"They are still up in arms about the fact that I married a Catholic."

"It's not like I practice."

"It is new. Someone else will do something scandalous, and I will be old news. As long as I light the menorah, it will be fine."

"Yeah, we'll just put it next to the Christmas tree." Tony replied.

"Exactly. It will be like that show that you don't like people to know you watch." Ziva began transferring cookies to a plate.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." Tony replied nervously, snatching a cookie from the plate.

"The one with the geeky kid from Mr. and Mrs. Smith. He has the father with the big eyebrows and the blonde mother. They have the hot blonde son. He is Jewish; she is not." She recalled, moving to sit next to him.

"I don't watching anything like that." Tony avoided looking Ziva in the eye.

"Yes, you do. You keep the DVDs in the window seat under the extra pillows. What is it called?"

"The O.C." Tony responded sullenly.

"That's it. They celebrate…" Ziva paused to think, while taking a bite from her cookie.

"Chrismukkah." Tony mumbled.

"Chrismukkah! Now, should we talk about what else you keep with those DVDs?" Ziva asked, smirking slightly.

"I'll just…go change." Tony quickly left the room, leaving Ziva laughing behind him.

* * *

"I asked you if I should get directions from Ducky, and you said no. That you had been there before, and you could find your way."

"I can."

"Tony, we are lost. And half an hour late."

"We're just turned around. I know exactly where we are. And we're running late because somebody couldn't keep their hands to themselves this morning." Tony flashed a grin to Ziva in the passenger seat.

"I was saying thank you." She told him as she removed her hand from his thigh. "I can find other ways to show my appreciation."

Tony grabbed Ziva's hand before it returned to her lap. He placed a kiss above her engagement ring and another kiss below her wedding band before threading their fingers together. He rested their hands on the centre console.

"I'm not complaining. And we're here." Tony let go of her hand long enough to park the car.

* * *

Abby heard the car pull up and ran to the front window. She pulled the curtain aside in time to see Ziva and Tony kissing before exiting the car and starting up the path to the front door.

"They're here!" Abby squealed, sending both Mrs. Mallard and her dogs into a frenzy.

"Finally! Donald!" Mrs. Mallard barked.

"Yes, Mother?" Ducky replied wearily.

"Your guests have arrived. We can eat." Mrs. Mallard began a slow walk to the front hall.

"Perhaps we'll allow Tony and Ziva a moment to catch their breath before dinner." Ducky followed after her.

Mrs. Mallard threw the door open and then turned to Ducky. "Let's eat!"

"Mr. Palmer, would you please escort Mother into the dining room?" Ducky asked Jimmy, who had just entered the front hall with Gibbs and McGee.

"Sure thing, Doctor. Merry Christmas, Tony and Ziva. Victoria, would you like to come with me?" Jimmy offered his arm to Mrs. Mallard.

"James, you're such a polite young man. You may sit with me at dinner." Mrs. Mallard took the offered arm and patted it.

"Happy Christmas, Ziva. Happy Christmas, Tony. May I take your coats?" Ducky offered.

"Merry Christmas, Ducky. We have to go out to the car to bring in the gifts." Ziva said.

"And the year's supply of baking that Ziva did." Tony added.

"Ziva, why don't you stay here? I'll help Tony." It sounded like a kind offer, but everyone knew it was a command. Ziva was intrigued, but let nothing show.

"Thanks, Boss." Tony said as they headed out the door.

"Now, my dear." Ducky addressed Ziva as he took her coat. "I'm afraid that my turkey shall not be quite as exquisite as yours, but would you consider assisting me in the kitchen?"

"I would be honoured, Ducky." Ziva was about to follow him when she heard Abby gasp.

"Ziva, that is the most beautiful bracelet I have ever seen. And I've seen a lot of jewellery. All the jewellery that comes through the lab has made me an expert." Abby rambled as she grabbed Ziva's wrist to examine the bracelet.

The bracelet was a small silver bangle. The bangle was etched with a simple flowing design, enhanced with three diamonds and three sapphires. The bracelet was, as Abby had said, beautiful. What made the bracelet priceless to Ziva, and had been the cause of their lateness, was what Tony had inscribed on the inside. Starting immediately below one of the sapphires, were the words 'Now you are the other side of me.' It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. Ziva could feel her face break into a wide smile.

"It was one of my gifts from Tony." Ziva told Abby, before quickly going to help Ducky in the kitchen.

"McGee, something is going on between Tony and Ziva."

"Abby?" McGee's face looked questioningly at the Goth. "They're married. Of course something is going on." McGee was now scared by the look on Abby's face.

"They're married. They're not married-married."

"Abby…"

"Point one: They got married and didn't invite anyone to the wedding. Point two: They said they'd been dating for two years, but they both had other relationships. Poin…"

"Shhh…Tony and Gibbs are coming back." McGee cut in. "Here let me take those."

"Thanks, Probie." Tony said as he passed a stack of gifts to McGee. "You been hitting the Christmas goodies a little too much there, McGreedy?"

"Merry Christmas to you too, Tony."

"Dinner will be served in a few minutes, so please have a seat." Ducky instructed from the doorway of the dining room.

"It's about time!"

"Oh, Mother." Ducky sighed.

* * *

The day was drawing to a close. The meal had been enjoyed by everyone. Jimmy had left to spend the rest of the day with his sister, and Mrs. Mallard had long since retired for the night.

The remaining guests were now enjoying coffee, tea, and goodies while they exchanged gifts. McGee and Ducky had taken spots on the sofa, while Gibbs had claimed the loveseat. Abby and Ziva were both curled up in wingback chairs on either side of the fireplace. Tony had propped himself up in front of Ziva's chair.

Abby was thoroughly enamored of the cross stitch kit that Tony and Ziva had given her, while Ducky was completely absorbed by a rare volume on criminal profiling that McGee had given him. Gibbs was pleased that the hand-carved wooden spoons hit the right chord with Ziva.

But it was Abby who was most pleased with the gift she had given to both Tony and Ziva. It was the last package under the tree, and no one was expecting another gift. Abby had already given Tony a membership to the American Film Institute and had give Ziva a trip to the spa.

"You've already given us our gifts, Abby." Tony said when the gift was presented to him.

"Just open it." Abby bubbled, as Tony handed the gift to Ziva. She slid the ribbon from the box and carefully removed the lid.

Inside was a photo in a simple dark wood frame. The photo was a candid shot that must have been taken at Thanksgiving. Ziva was in the kitchen stirring something. Tony was behind with her with his arms wrapped around her middle. She was smiling and her head was turned slightly toward him. His lips were pressed against her temple.

Abby had been trying to get a picture of Gibbs when they had wandered into the kitchen. She had snapped it quickly and was happy it had turned out.

Ziva handed the photo to Tony.

"Abby, this is great." Tony says for both of them as he gazes at the gift.

"You're welcome." Abby answers cheerfully as the photo is passed around the room and conversation resumes.

* * *

To Ziva the photo is proof: proof of what she feels, proof that she can be happy. When Gibbs has fixed this, when this is over and she is no longer convenient, she will still be to see that he cared for her once.

To Tony the photo captures exactly what he feels. He feels like he is still in that moment. Years from now, when they are old and their children are grown, they will be able to look at this photo and say this is where we started. Their beginning, their real start has been captured.

* * *

A/N: This chapter was more of a setup for future chapters. There are a couple of things that will pop up later, but the significant one is the discrepancies in Tony and Ziva's relationship. I hope everyone enjoyed it though. Please review! :)


	6. The First Scare

Ziva shifted the baby in her arms slightly as she moved from the living room into the kitchen. She was been about to get herself a cookie when she heard laughter coming from the family room.

"No, it's my turn!" A little girl's voice said.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's my turn. It was my turn, then it was Luke's turn, and now it's my…your turn!" Tony slapped his forehead in a gesture of forgetfulness. This sent both children into another fit of giggles.

"He's really good with them." Another voice said from behind her.

Ziva turned to face the kitchen's other occupants. Kathy Stolp and Natalie Cooper were the wives of Tony's teammates Pete and Owen. It was Kathy who had addressed her.

"Yes, he is." Ziva agreed, smiling to herself. She could recall several occasions where Tony had not been so good with children. However, in this relaxed atmosphere, the children seemed to love him.

"Not a lot of people can handle Luke." Natalie stated. "We're gonna head out soon, so I can take Mark back."

"I am sorry. I have been pigging him all evening." Ziva said as she handed the baby to Natalie.

"Hogging, Zee-Vah." Tony corrected her as he and Owen came into the kitchen with the kids.

"I. SAID. I. DON'T. WANNA. GO. HOME." Luke shouted as Owen attempted to lead him toward the front door.

"Please. Anytime someone wants to take my kids off my hands is fine with me." Natalie laughed.

"You'll understand when you have kids." Kathy told her as she helped Amanda pour a glass of milk.

"Don't give her any ideas." Tony joked as they followed the sound of shouting to the front door. Tony pulled Ziva's coat from the closet and passed it to her, before pulling on his own coat.

"Happy Birthday, Pete. What are we doing on Thursday, Kath?" Natalie asked as Owen got the boys into the car.

"It's Devon's choice this month. So we'll meet here at 6:30. And if Owen's not back by then, Lauren'll watch the kids." Kathy said.

"Your daughter is a life saver. Ziva, you coming on Thursday?" Natalie asked here.

"I forgot to ask her. Sorry, Ziva. We have girl's night on the last Thursday of every month. We take turns picking the activity. Sometimes we play poker or go bowling. We would have asked you sooner, but nobody," she glared pointedly at Pete. "Told us Tony was married."

"I forgot. I'd only met her the once." Pete defended.

"Yeah. In October. You never remember the important stuff. If it was about football, you'd have remembered. So what d'ya say?" Kathy asked, turning back to Ziva.

"It sounds like fun. I will be there."

* * *

Tony was just arriving home as Ziva was leaving for her night out.

"I ordered you a pizza; it should be here in less than 15 minutes. And tonight is garbage night." Ziva told him as she grabbed her keys and gave him a quick kiss.

"On it, Boss." He said as she got into her car. He watched her car pull out of the garage and speed down the street before closing the garage door. Tony grabbed a beer from the fridge, opened it, took a long pull, and took it into the family room. He turned on the TV and switched it to the sports channel before heading back into the kitchen to start his garbage duties.

Tony was starting on his last garbage when the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of his pizza. In his haste to get to the door, Tony failed to realize that he had knocked over the small garbage can.

When he returned to the bathroom, he groaned at the mess he'd left behind him. He was absentmindedly tossing items into the garbage bag when he saw it.

It took his mind a moment to register the item, before a million questions flooded his brain.

* * *

Ziva knew something was wrong the minute she entered the house. Tony usually left a trail behind him everywhere he went. He blasted the TV too loud and left music and lights on in every room of the house. The house was eerily silent and dark as she placed her keys on the counter.

"Tony?" she called out worriedly.

"Family room." Tony called back.

Ziva made her way to the family room. Tony was sitting on the edge of the couch, leaning forward slightly, forearms braced on his thighs as he stared at an object on the coffee table. Ziva's eyes fell briefly on the object, but before she could say anything, Tony spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, finally lifting his eyes to meet hers.

"I did not want to worry you." Ziva told him honestly, not moving from her spot.

"Worry me?" He gave a small laugh. "I'm worried that you feel you need to hide the fact that you're pregnant from me."

"I am not." She said.

"What?"

"I am not pregnant. It was a false alarm. But if I was, I would have told you." Ziva assured him.

"Oh." Tony said flatly. It took Ziva a second to register his tone.

"You were excited." She stated, moving to sit next to him. She placed her hand over one of his, and continued when he didn't respond. "It would have complicated everything, Tony. We would have had to make custody arrangements. I have never wanted to be a single mother and I imag…"

"Wait. What?" Tony asked, pulling his hand away from her and turning to look at her incredulously. "I would have stepped up."

"I know, but once we were divorced, it would have become difficult."

"Divorced." Tony said in the same flat tone he had used minutes before. He stood and crossed the room. "You want a divorce."

"Yes." It was Ziva's turn to be confused. "That is what we agreed."

"Ziva, I think it's time we face the truth. This hasn't been a marriage of convenience for months. I don't know if it ever was."

"The fact that we are sleeping together does not make this a real marriage." Her eyes were burning as she tried to keep her voice steady. Why was he doing this? Why was he making it so hard?

"No, it doesn't. That I can't wait to see you at the end of the day, that I'd rather fight with you than not have you with me, that makes it a marriage. Do you remember the day I asked you to marry me?"

How could she forget?

* * *

_Ziva had been home for less than 10 minutes. The box from her desk was still sitting in her front hall. She hadn't even changed out of her funeral clothes. She'd just been roaming around her apartment, trying to reconcile herself with the fact that this would no longer be her home. She was just about to enter her bedroom when there was a knock on her door._

_She looked through the peephole to see Tony standing on her front step. He was still in his suit. She opened her door._

_"Tony, dinner is at six…"_

_"Marry me." He said._

_"Do not do this." Ziva told him firmly as she moved away from her door. She heard Tony enter her apartment and close the door behind him._

_"Don't do what?" He asked._

_"Do not propose to me in a misguided attempt to play the hero. Do not propose because you feel guilty. There is nothing to feel guilty about."_

_"That's not why I'm proposing."_

_"Then why?" she asked._

_"Because you're my best friend. You're probably the best friend I've ever had. And if I get on that boat and you get on that plane, we'll never be the same. We'll never get this back. So marry me."_

* * *

"Yes." Ziva said quietly.

"I think I knew it then. I love you."

"No, you don't. You think you do because it is convenient." Her eyes, like his, are filled with tears.

"I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. Tell me you don't love me." Ziva remains silent, so he continues, never taking his eyes from her. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me. Tell me you don't love me and I'll give you the divorce, no questions asked. We'll go back to the way we were."

The tears previously contained in their eyes have started to fall. He doesn't think he's ever seen Ziva cry. He crosses the room again and sits in front of her on the coffee table. He takes her hand in his.

"You were right. We're soul mates."

"I never said we were soul mates." She tells him, knowing exactly what he's talking about.

"You didn't have to. I love you." He tells her again as he wipes away her tears with his thumb.

"I love you." She tells him. He kisses her gently, before pulling back.

"I love you, and I want this. I want to be like the old couples in When Harry Met Sally. I want to come home to you every night and wake up to you every morning. I want to grow old with you. I want a family with you. I want to hold your hand while we wait for pregnancy test results." He tilts his head toward the test sitting next to him on the table. "I want to fill those bedrooms upstairs. I want to put a swing set in the backyard, and I want to sit with you and watch our kids play. I want us. So will you do me the great honour of agreeing to stay my wife?"

"Yes."

* * *

To any other couple, it would have been what it was: a pregnancy scare. To Tony and Ziva it was so much more than that. It revealed insecurities and proved what was really important. It was the scare that had set them on the right path.

* * *

A/N: This was the chapter that I really based this story on. I've had bits and pieces of this conversation floating around in my head for months, but oddly it was the most difficult chapter to write. It was connecting all the fragments that was tough, so I'd really appreciate some feedback. Did it make sense? Does it seem like Tony and Ziva? Thanks!


	7. Things to Come

He opens the door and flips on the light. Not there. He moves to the next room and does the same thing. Still not there. Tony repeats the process several times before he realizes that he doesn't remember what he's looking for, just that it's important. He has his keys, his wallet, his weapon. The sense of urgency is increasing. He has to find it. Ziva, he'll just ask Ziva. It's then that he realizes that he's looking for Ziva.

He's frantic now, tearing from room to room in search of her. The house seems to have grown, the hall stretches forever, but each door leads to nothing. He has to find her.

Finally, he sees an open door at the end of the hall. As he gets closer, he can see Ziva. She's reaching out to him and saying something. Just when he can almost make out what she's saying, Vance steps into the doorway. The door slams shut.

Tony wakes with a start.

* * *

Ziva is aware of his tossing and turning. She tries to maintain her hold on sleep but is brought to wakefulness when she hears Tony gasp.

His breathing is heavy as she rolls over to look at him. His eyes have a slightly panicked look. One hand is on his forehead, while the other clutches the covers tightly.

"Bad dream?" she mumbles.

"I couldn't find you." His breathing has started to return to normal. "I was looking everywhere, and when I finally found you, Vance slammed the door in my face."

"He cannot keep us apart. He has tried and failed." Ziva shifts across the mattress and into Tony's arms. "Go back to sleep. I will be here when you wake up."

"Promise?" He asks her as she snuggles into him.

"Always." Tony closes his eyes, but while Ziva quickly returns to sleep, he finds sleep elusive.

* * *

He's booked himself a four day weekend, and fate must be smiling on him, because he's leaving at 2:30. This means that he'll be able to beat the rush hour traffic home and surprise Ziva before he reveals his big surprise.

He parks his car down the street so as not to alert her to his arrival, and he goes in the front door instead of using the garage door. He closes the door quietly behind him and is about to announce he's home, when he hears a familiar Texas accent coming from the family room.

Tony silently removes his shoes and tiptoes to the family room. He peeks inside. Ziva is sitting on the couch folding laundry and watching…BBC World News.

"I know you are watching me." Ziva says without turning her head.

"Hey." He's startled. "Guess I should have known better than to try to surprise you."

"You are getting better. I did not even hear the door open." Tony leans over the back of the couch to give her a kiss. He's also trying to get the remote. He's determined to catch her out. Unfortunately, she's moved the remote to the coffee table.

"You are home early." Ziva says as she goes back to folding one of his t-shirts.

"Yeah, we closed the Iglesias case, and I figured everyone deserved an early finish. What're they talking about?" He indicates the TV.

"They are discussing the G8 Summit and the roles that President McCain, Prime Minister Harper, and Prime Minister Brown will take." He'd been hoping to catch her off guard, but when he glances at the television, he sees a clip of the new American president meeting with the Canadian and British prime ministers. He'll have to try another approach.

Tony starts to move around the couch, seemingly going to the armchair, when he makes a sudden grab for the remote. He stumbles over the laundry basket as Ziva quickly grabs the remote. Tony manages to recover and lunges at Ziva. A brief struggle ensues before Tony realizes that he's on the losing side of this battle. In a last ditch effort to win, Tony makes a decision to exploit Ziva's weakness. Before Ziva can defend herself, Tony has started to tickle her mercilessly. Her robust laughter fills the air.

"Aunt! Aunt!" Ziva cries, grasping for air.

"The term is uncle, Ziva." They have ended up on the floor, with her underneath him and several piles of previously folded laundry around them. Tony pulls the remote from Ziva's grasp and flips to the last channel. Dr. Phil's face fills the screen.

"I knew it! You watch Dr. Phil! You watch Oprah, too?" He looks down at her, but she won't meet his gaze. "Ziva?"

"Yes! Are you happy? I watch Dr. Phil and Oprah. I am so bored that I even watch cheesy American soap operas." The mood in the room has suddenly taken a large dip.

"I watched General Hospital when I was recovering from the plague." She looks at him, unconvinced. "No word of a lie. When we met, I was a huge GH fan. It was pretty interesting, really. There's this mob boss, Sonny, and he has this lackey…Josh, or…"

"Jason. He has taken over for Sonny." Ziva informs him.

"Jason! Interesting. Unfortunately, you're gonna have to record tomorrow's episode."

"Why?" Ziva asks suspiciously.

"Because you and I are going to be in New York."

"What?" Tony has gotten the reaction he had hoped for: Ziva is completely shocked.

"I've taken tomorrow and Monday off from work and we're going to New York. We have reservations at a Marriott hotel. It's not the Ritz, but it's a nice hotel. I figure we drive out tonight, have dinner in the hotel restaurant, and then spend tomorrow sightseeing. Then tomorrow night we have tickets to a Broadway show. We do some shopping on Saturday, then we have Sunday to do anything we want, and we come home on Monday."

"Get off." Ziva tells him with a huge smile. "I have to pack."

Tony doesn't move, he just grins his DiNozzo grin at her.

"I already packed. Our bags are in the car." Ziva pulls him down to kiss him.

"You are my favourite husband." She tells him between kisses.

"Good to know." He responds. "I've just gotta go change and we can go." He starts to get up, but Ziva grabs his tie.

"Let me help you with that." Ziva whispers as she begins to loosen his tie.

* * *

It's Friday night, and they've just arrived back at the hotel after leaving the theatre. They have just seen Grease, and Ziva cannot stop talking about the show.

"I know how you feel about John Travolta, but…in my opinion…that kid was much better." She waits for the rebuttal but is surprised when Tony doesn't make any comment. She peeks around the bathroom door to look at him. He's looking her direction with a far off look in his eyes.

"Tony?" His eyes shift back into focus. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm just really happy." He tells her as she slips under the covers next to him.

"I am happy as well. _You_ make me happy." She tells him with a kiss.

"_You_ make _me_ happy." Tony responds.

"We sound very mushy." Ziva giggles as she snuggles into Tony, pulling the covers around them.

"Yep. The playboy cop and the crazy ninja girl. No one would believe it." Tony said as he switched off the light.

"It will have to be our secret."

* * *

They've stopped for a hot dog, at Tony's insistence, when she notices it. It's a small kiosk selling specialty t-shirts that say things like "My Mommy Thinks I'm Special" and "Sarcasm: Just One of the Services I Provide."

But that's not what catches her eye. There are baby onesies on the lower shelf. There is one that says "iPood" and another with a KISS logo on it. The one that catches her eye, though, is a tiny pink one that says "My Daddy's a Federal Agent."

She buys it quickly and stuffs it in her purse before Tony returns with her hot dog.

* * *

Ziva is in their bedroom unpacking, while Tony is downstairs checking the answering machine. She pulls the bag from her purse, removes the onesie, and sits on the bed to wait for Tony. She is smoothing it on her lap when he enters the room.

"McGee called. He wants us to meet his new girlfr…" Tony stops short when he sees the onesie. "Oh, my god. Are you…?"

"No." She replies quickly, and then thoughtfully adds, "But I would like to be."

"Okay." He answers slowly, moving to sit next to her.

"I have not been able to stop thinking about it, since that night." He nods, knowing exactly which night she means. "There is a lot to discuss. This is not something to enter into lightly, but I thought, maybe, we could start preparing." She waits for his response.

"Like we could start getting a room ready." He grins.

"Yes." She smiles her huge smile. And then he's kissing her, the kind of kiss that makes her melt. When Tony finally pulls away, they are both breathless. He rests his forehead against hers.

"Let's talk."

It's the first of many talks, but like the rest of the weekend, it's filled with the promise of things to come.

* * *

AN: This was supposed to be mostly filler, which it is, with a few exceptions, but I ended up adding some things that I hadn't planned on adding. My muse is very stubborn, and when she commands, I obey. So I hoped everyone liked it. If you didn't, blame the muse.


	8. The Second Scare

**AN: Bad, bad me hasn't written anything in a dog's age and sincerely apologizes. To all of you who are still interested in this story, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this little chapter. **

The Second Scare

A cold, sinking feeling in his gut had woken Tony at 3:30. He'd known then that something terrible was going to happen that day. He'd lain awake watching Ziva sleep and had attempted to come with a reason to get her to skip her morning run.

When Ziva finally woke two hours later, he'd been unable to convince her. He'd also been unable to convince her to let him skip work and stay home with her. In fact, she'd gotten quite irritated with him.

So Tony DiNozzo had reluctantly gone to work, where, for an hour, he'd gotten absolutely nothing done while the feeling in his gut had clawed at him.

But then Raynesford had gotten a lead on the Anne Johnston murder. And for the next couple of hours, while he and his team were pounding the pavement, he forgot about his gut.

The feeling came back with a vengeance as he continued to search leads in the system. The minute the information appeared on his screen, he knew he'd found something. He picked up his cell and made his way out to his car.

"Boss, I've got something." He said.

* * *

Gibbs had been very clear. He was to go straight home and stay with Ziva. Gibbs would call them when there was news.

As soon as he turned onto his street, the feeling that had previously clawed at his insides suddenly took over his entire being. Something was terribly, horribly wrong.

The garage door was open, as was the trunk of Ziva's car. The trunk was full of grocery bags. This wasn't unusual, as Ziva always shopped on Thursday afternoon on her way back from the ESL class she taught at the library. What was unusual was the fact that the door between the garage and the house was open, and Ziva was no where to be seen. They always unloaded the groceries from the car to the mudroom and from there to the kitchen. That way their frozen goods could immediately be put into the mudroom's deep freeze, and it meant fewer groceries had to be carried into the kitchen. Why do extra work if you didn't have to?

Tony had his weapon drawn before he entered the house. It played out much as his dream had done the month before. Only now as he searched the house, he knew with a certain dread that she wasn't there.

Once he had cleared the house he returned to the driveway to call Gibbs. The reality of the situation hit him as he spoke with Gibbs and he had to make his way to the porch to sit down.

"She's gone. I can't…I can't…find her. Gibbs, she's gone." Tony's voice cracked with emotion on his final word.

"DiNozzo, Ziva can take care of herself. I'll call when…" Gibbs was cut off by an emotional whisper from Tony.

"There's blood on the floor."

"Stay there. I'm on my way."

* * *

When Gibbs and McGee arrived at the house a criminally short amount of time later, they found Tony sitting on the porch with his head in his hands. As soon as he heard the car pull up, he was on his feet.

McGee was quickly dispatched to check the house, while Tony started in on his plan of attack.

"We need to get BOLOs out. And we need a trace on Vance's phone and credit…" This time it was Gibbs who interrupted Tony.

"Abby's got a BOLO out on Ziva."

"We need one on Vance, too."

"We don't know that he has her."

"Is that what your gut's telling you?" Tony asked Gibbs angrily.

"My gut tells me that Ziva's a good agent."

"Yeah, well my gut's telling me that that son of a bitch has my wife. She's not just another agent in trouble, Gibbs. She's my wife. And if you think I'm going to sit around while my wife is missing, then something went really wrong in the last eight years."

"It didn't."

* * *

Eighteen excruciating hours later they were no closer to finding Ziva, although they now had former Director Vance in custody.

Within the first six hours of Ziva's disappearance, both Tony and Deputy Director Ross were read in on the complete details of the case against Vance. Eddie Ross, one of several NCIS deputy directors, had once been one of Agent Fornell's minions at the FBI. Tony immediately knew that Ross wasn't about to dismiss them out of hand. This, combined with the fact that he was Agent Sacks' polar opposite, instantly made Tony like the man.

The twelve hours after that had been spent monitoring Vance's home, while Ross briefed Sec. Nav. Their surveillance had come to nothing, but Ross had come up trumps. He made up for the lack of new information by providing a warrant for Vance's immediate arrest as well as a warrant to search his home.

This had eventually led them to a warehouse, where they had found Vance and a rather large, burly black man. The large black man was unconscious and had been tied to one of the building's supporting columns. Vance had been cuffed to a chair with what looked suspiciously like Ziva's back-up knife in his foot.

There was, however, no Ziva. What made matters worse was that next to Vance's chair was an IV system with a half-empty bag of what Abby later determined to be a highly potent mixture of sedatives. Ziva's fingerprints had been found on a piece of tape that had been used to secure the cannula to the hand of the recipient of the sedatives.

Now Tony was standing in the observation room with Ducky, while Gibbs and Ross went toe to toe with Vance in interrogation. Tony couldn't care less about this man's 30 years of treason. As far as he was concerned, that paled in comparison to the fact that he had taken Ziva. He could rot in a solitary cell as soon as Tony got his wife back.

Tony wasn't a praying man. In fact, he hadn't uttered a prayer since the sixth grade when he'd told God he'd eat all his vegetables if God would help him to pass his geography test. He'd failed the test, and his father had expressed his anger with a wooden spoon. Needless to say he hadn't felt the need to talk to God after that. He was praying now though. He wasn't making deals this time. He was simply praying that Ziva was safe.

That was how McGee found him – with his forehead pressed against the glass, his eyes closed, and Ducky's hand on his back as he prayed.

"We got a hit on the BOLO. A Jane Doe matching Ziva's description crashed her vehicle outside Bethesda's main gate."

Tony was out of the room like a shot.

* * *

The woman had crashed her vehicle right outside the main gates of Bethesda Naval Hospital. The woman was in serious condition and had no ID on her. She was barely conscious and clearly altered. An enquiry as to her name had yielded only the words "Find Tony."

She was covered in blood, and careful inspection revealed a deep laceration to her temple. It was inconsistent with a motor vehicle accident and seemed to be several hours old. Her right wrist was broken, her left shoulder dislocated, and her left ankle broken. She had several bruised ribs, as well as numerous other smaller bruises and lacerations.

Her left hand was severely bruised and had recently had an IV placement. Given her altered state, they contemplated drug use, but her body showed no other sighs of being a continual IV drug user. Her tox. screen later revealed massive amounts of several powerful sedatives. It was at that time that they remembered the BOLO from NCIS.

Shortly after the group from NCIS arrived at the hospital, it was confirmed that Jane Doe in Room 815 was, in fact, Ziva DiNozzo, the wife of Detective DiNozzo. Detective DiNozzo listened intently to the medical staff. Between Detective DiNozzo and an elderly doctor, who was also with the group, an accurate picture of Mrs. DiNozzo's ordeal was constructed. As soon as they were finished, Detective DiNozzo went to his wife's bedside, a place he didn't leave until she woke up.

* * *

He'd been holding two fingers on her bruised left hand while waiting for her to wake up. Tony had just dozed off when he felt her fingers squeeze his hand.

"Ziva?" he whispered. Her eyes flickered open briefly and then shut tight.

"Br…" she mumbled. Tony quickly lowered the lights. She licked her lips slowly, and Tony brought a straw to her lips.

"Here's some water. Just a little bit. That's it." Ziva closed her lips over the straw, took a small sip and then slowly opened her eyes.

"You're at Bethesda. You crashed your getaway vehicle outside the main gates. I told you your driving would land you in the hospital." He joked half-heartedly, trying to ignore the real reason she was there. Ziva wouldn't let him.

"Vance?" she enquired, speaking slowly.

"Taken care of." His response was abrupt and firmly closed the topic. She had heard all that she needed. There would be time to talk later.

A doctor and nurse were brought in to check Ziva over. After an examination, it was deemed that she seemed to be out of the woods for now but needed more rest and wouldn't be released from the hospital for at least a week.

After they left, Tony could see her fading again, but she managed to speak before the waves of sleep overtook her.

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Now sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?"

"Always." Tony said as he tucked the blankets around her and dropped a kiss to her forehead.

* * *

Outside the room, McGee and Gibbs waited.

"He really loves her, huh, Boss?" McGee said.

"More than he ever thought possible." Gibbs replied.

* * *

Certain events have the power to change lives. There would be no changes in their lives though. The second scare had only managed to solidify the inevitable.

**

* * *

**

This chapter took me forever, and I had to get past some major writer's block. For the life of me, I could not come up with any follow through for Vance's criminal activities. I hope no one is too disappointed. It's not everything that I hoped it would be, but it does include some of the bits that this story was originally based around. And, as always, please review! It makes my little heart all warm and fuzzy.


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